A tragic moment

While I was in the thick of painting across the street around 1:30 p.m today, I noticed suddenly a plume of dust like smoke rising suddenly down the street. At first I thought it must be due to a gust of wind sweeping up the dirt on the street a few houses down on my right side. I was a bit concerned that the dust will fall onto my wet painting , then all of a sudden I heard siren in the distance, and in just a matter of few seconds to my astonishment, ambulances, fire engines  , police cruisers all came passing by right in front of me and came to stop right there a few houses down the street . I heard the sickening sound of the smashing of the door by force, and then , and only then did I realized that the house on my right side was on fire!  The rescue action  was unfolding right in front of me. I walked across the street and  did  this quick oil sketch to mark the moment of  emergency and tragedy in my neighbourhood.